Aston Villa in talks for Ordonez as Konsa replacement

Aston Villa have initiated contact with Club Brugge to sign Ecuadorian centreback Joel Ordonez as a replacement for Ezri Konsa, who completed a move to Arsenal earlier this week. The club is also finalizing the free-agent signing of midfielder Leon Goretzka, with manager Unai Emery credited as the driving force behind that deal. The pursuit of Ordonez comes after Villa had an £18 million offer for Southampton's Taylor Harwood-Bellis rejected. According to reports, Villa have now engaged in discussions with Club Brugge for the 22-year-old defender. The move is seen as a direct response to the departure of Konsa, who was the fourth key member of last season's first-team squad to leave, following Youri Tielemans to Manchester United, Lucas Digne to Paris Saint-Germain, and Morgan Rogers to Chelsea. Ordonez, who made 46 appearances for Club Brugge last season, is under contract until 2029. While he was previously considered financially prohibitive, the funds from Konsa's sale have brought him back into Villa's thinking. The defender has expressed a desire to play in the Premier League, stating it is his favorite league and would suit his style.